45/70

[Tad Houston]

Picked up a 45/70 carbine barrel for my contender to hunt hogs with and was wondering, do most you guys use hollow points to hunt with? Seems thats what most components available in 300 to 350 gr. are. I'm used to hunting hogs with a soft point bullet.
 
Thanks- Tad

[JBKERNS]

Hi Tad,

I have only hunted hawgs with a recurve bow, but if I were to try it with my NEF single shot, I would work a load around a Hornady 350gr RN, a Remington 405 grain, or a Barnes 400 over around 51 gr. IMR3031(look up data).

These bullets should really thump em!

Best of luck, Jeff

[KN]

H-322 is also a good powder for the 45/70. I also use mag primers. KN

[quigleysharps4570]

I shoot cast bullets. Never has been a jacketed bullet in my rifle. I've the 405gr. flat point, 500gr. round nose and 535gr. Postell molds. All I shoot anymore is the 535gr. for everything from beer cans to deer. Do like the 3031 or 5744 for the smokeless loads. My hunting bullets are cast from plumbers lead, dipped in liquid alox up to the top grease groove and then filled out with my lube. No leading problems.

[pc]

I have shot a few pigs with 300 gr sierra pro hunters and have shot probably another 200 head of thin skinned game with this bullet and wittnessed my friends shoot that amount as well, it is very soft and expands violently, I now have a heap of the rem 405's loaded which give a little more penetration. I have also used the woodleigh 405 gr flat point 45/70 bullet and this is IMHO the best big game bullet for the 45/70 as it retains heaps of weight and expands at 45/70 velocity's, shoots to the same poi in my marlin as the rem 405 so it is handy to have some around if you come across bigger stuff.

[Redhawk1]

You can use the 300 gr. hollow point, but the cast bullets are better in my opinion on hogs.  I find IMR4198 to be a very accurate powder. I have also used some Barnes X 350 gr. bullets intended for the 458 Win Mag. They are awesome on game. Just make sure you are using them in a single shot.  

[Lawdog]

Try loads using the Barnes 450 gr. TSX bullet.  Excellent accuracy and penetration.  This is what I am using out of both of my .450 Marlin’s(M70 and Ruger No. 1) for Wild Hogs.  Lawdog
 

[Redhawk1]

Try loads using the Barnes 450 gr. TSX bullet.  Excellent accuracy and penetration.  This is what I am using out of both of my .450 Marlin’s(M70 and Ruger No. 1) for Wild Hogs.  Lawdog
 

What load are you using with those 450 gr. TSX bullets. Also what is your OAL?  

[Lawdog]

Try loads using the Barnes 450 gr. TSX bullet.  Excellent accuracy and penetration.  This is what I am using out of both of my .450 Marlin’s(M70 and Ruger No. 1) for Wild Hogs.  Lawdog
 

What load are you using with those 450 gr. TSX bullets. Also what is your OAL?  

The load I’m using is 55.3 gr. of H-4895 with an over all length of 3.01”.  This is a stout load but an accurate one in both of my .450 Marlins.  I don't believe I would use this load in a lever action rifle though.  Lawdog
 

[Redhawk1]

Lawdog, I was looking for my 45-70 in my Ruger #1.

[Tad Houston]

Loaded up some 350gr. speer hot cores- they look like an awsome bullet for hogs, anybody have experience with them in the 45/70? I loaded to trapdoor pressures out of the speer #13 manual. Are these loads max for the contender?

Thanks, Tad

[James B]

I have been told that tropdoor level loads should be used in the Contender. The Encore however can handle the Marlin level loads. They used to say (T/C) That the Encore would handle the Ruger level loads. They now say just Marlin and Win 86 level loads.

[Asa Lenon]

Any opinions on the Winchester Supreme 300 grain Nosler Partitions?

[RayA]

Hi Asa
 Ive used those before factory loads they shot real well and worked Just as good as a guy could ask for. I shot deer and Hogs with them and neiter much more than quivvered. deer the bullet passed on thru(neck SHot) Hog bullet had lodged just under the skin on the far side after distroying 3-4 virtibreys in the neck close to the head. It was swelled up prob to 60-70 caliber. Hope this helps.  RayA

[snowdog]

I'm curious as to if anyone has used  VIH N133 in any 45/70 loads...
 Speer manual says it is  a very accurate powder for  their 400 grn
 bullets.  I have loaded up a few but haven't gotten to the range with
 them yet.  any experience with the Vih N133 powder ?

[gitano]

Not 133, but 135.

I load it behind cast 405s and 500s. I get both doing 1800 f/s. I'm sure hte 405s would do more, but I don't care to bother, as I shoot the 500s almost exclusively. I load those down a bit to about 1650.

Paul